necessarily the heir of his firstborn. Władysław II opposed his father's wish, and encouraged by his wife, Agnes of Babenberg, tried to ensure his power as the king would not be weakened. As Boleslaw's chosen Voivode, a rift occurred when Włostowic argued against this. Włostowic feared a civil war, but by his opposition, he soon lost the trust of Bolesław, and especially that of his wife, who thought Wlast had sided with the younger sons of Bolesław. A civil war began in 1142, with a string of Władysław victories. For his part, Włostowic refused to clearly declare himself for any side, instead choosing to try and smooth the conflicts and conduct negotiations. In 1146, Władysław decided to finally remove Włostowic from the equation, ordering one of his knights, Dobek, to capture him. Dobek succeeded in this in a manner not unlike Włostowic's own capture of Wołodar: he arrived at Włostowic's court in Ołbino, and during the night captured Włostowic's court with his men. Agnes demanded Włostowic's death, but Władysław decided instead to make an example out of him: Wlast was blinded, muted and sentenced to exile. This had not proven to be Władysław's wisest move. Włostowic was respected and had many friends, and his fate caused many people to switch their allegiance to the younger brothers. Further, the blinded Włostowic went to Rus', which had so far supported Władysław, and convinced them to break their alliance. As a result, Władyslaw was soon defeated. Włostowic regained his position as a voivode, but his disability and old age prevented him from becoming an active politician. He died on April 16, 1153. Legacy In the coming centuries, Piotr Włostowic Dunin (or Peter Wlast) became a near-legendary figure, especially as contemporary writers-monks remembered his generous support of the Church. His story was told, among others, in the poem Carmen Mauri. Among the legends, one of the most prevalent is that Peter Wlast's family originates from Denmark, explaining his later nickname, 'Dunin', "the Dane". The Dunin clan has survived to the modern day and has many notable members. The family crest is the Labedz, the swan. References External links Janusz Bieniak, O Piotrze Włostowicu, Duninach i Łabędziu Norman Davies Book Catholic Encyclopedia Peter Wlast Silesia The Clan of Dunin 1080s births 1153 deaths 12th-century Polish nobility Duninowie